Roll-fed printing apparatus, software medium, and method for controlling a roll-fed printing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A roll-fed printing apparatus and a method for controlling a roll-fed printing apparatus for printing images on at least one recording medium from an image queue. A part of the image queue is saved. The part comprises the ripped images at established arbitrary positions on the roll of medium and events according to a plurality of event image objects placed in the image queue into a roll file which is stored in a history roll queue storage of the controller. At least part of the ripped images saved in the roll file are reprinted on a new roll of medium having a same roll width as the arbitrary roll width according to a sequence order and the arbitrary positions saved in the roll file. During reprinting, the corresponding events saved in the roll file are executed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally pertains to a roll-fed printingapparatus, such as a roll-to-roll inkjet printing apparatus, forprinting images on a recording medium such as paper. The invention alsopertains to a non-transitory software medium comprising executable codeconfigured to, when executed, perform a method for controlling aroll-fed printing apparatus. The invention also pertains to a method forcontrolling a roll-fed printing apparatus for printing images on a rollof recording medium having an arbitrary roll width, the roll-fedapparatus comprising a print engine, a controller comprising a rollmanaging system for managing the printing of ripped images on the rollof recording medium, the method comprising the steps of the controllerreceiving a plurality of ripped images from a raster image processorinto memory of the roll managing system, for each ripped image the rollmanaging system establishing an arbitrary position in an X direction anda Y direction of the plane of the recording medium of the roll at whicharbitrary position the ripped image is intended to be printed, thecontroller creating subsequent image swathes for printing the rippedimages according to the established arbitrary positions of the rippedimages, the roll managing system displaying and maintaining an imagequeue area comprising representations of the planned ripped images to beprinted on the roll of recording medium and representations of theripped images currently being printed on the roll of recording medium,the roll managing system providing a plurality of event image objectswhich are placeable in the image queue area and the image queue area isconfigured to receive an event image object of the plurality of eventimage objects between the representations of the planned ripped imagesto be printed on the roll of recording medium in the image queue area,and the controller setting for an event image object of the plurality atleast one printing and/or finishing command to be executed by theprinting apparatus in accordance with a timing sequence of printing ofthe ripped images displayed in the image queue area, and the printengine subsequently printing the created subsequent image swathes andexecuting the events according to the set at least one printing and/orfinishing command.

The X and Y direction in the plane of the recording medium of the rollcorrespond to a length and a width of the recording medium of the roll.

BACKGROUND ART

Roll-fed printers are a well-known type of printers. In roll-fedprinters, a recording medium such as paper is wound up on an input rolland then fed into, and guided along, a path through the printer,unwinding the input roll by and by along the process. In this way, therecording medium is roll-fed (i.e. taken from a roll and fed) to amarking unit of the printer which applies a marking material (prints)onto the recording medium

Roll-to-roll printers are a common type of roll-fed printers and arecharacterized in that the recording medium is, after images have beenprinted on it, wound up on an output holder of an output roll by and byalong the process.

Some roll-fed printers comprise a cutting unit, i.e. a cutter, beingconfigured to cut the recording medium after images have been printed onit such that the printer does not output the entire contiguous recordingmedium but instead cut pieces of it.

Some roll-fed printers comprise a laminating unit, i.e. a laminator,being configured to laminate the recording medium after images have beenprinted on it such that the robustness of the printed images isincreased.

Roll-fed printers are very efficient devices for forming a large numberof images requiring a large amount of the recording medium, as thewound-up input rolls are comparatively easy to handle by both theprinters and their operating personnel. Accordingly, little or nosupervision by personnel is needed for roll-fed printers, especially forroll-to-roll printers, as the marked recording medium is automaticallystored on the output roll.

An event image object is defined as a digital object which is a useroperable element. The digital object comprises a digital image, forexample a thumbnail image, an icon, a text image or any otherrepresentable image. The image represents an event which may be anoperator event or an apparatus event.

By allowing the operator to plan interventions by means of the eventimage objects, an image quality of the printed images and a productionprogress on the roll-fed printing apparatus may increase. The operatoris allowed to drag event image objects to the image queue area. Theseevent image objects may be planned in the print queue, i.e. these eventimage objects may be planned in between the digital representations ofthe ripped images.

Such an event image object may be dragged and dropped towards anyposition in the image queue area at any preferable moment. Theresult—what moment in time this intervention or warning will takeplace—is visible in the image queue area.

Reprinting of an image is quite common in the field of printing.However, reprinting an entire roll at once is not common in the field ofprinting. If there is a problem with print quality, this problem oftenaffects the entire roll. The user has to plan the complete roll againwith all its ripped images and its event image objects and finishingactions. In addition, when the problem does not affect the whole roll,an unadapted reprint of the roll may contain superfluous printed imageswhich were already correctly printed at the first time. In case that theproblem does not affect the whole roll, it usually concerns an area ofthe roll that contains more than one image.

It is desirable to have a method for controlling a roll-fed printingapparatus in a productive way that enables an operator of the roll-fedprinting apparatus to be more flexible when reprinting an entire roll.It is also desirable to have a roll-fed printing apparatus capable ofexecuting such a method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thereto the method of the invention comprises the steps of saving a partof the image queue, the part comprising the ripped images at theestablished arbitrary positions in an X direction and a Y direction onthe roll of medium and the events according to the plurality of eventimage objects placed in the image queue into a roll file to be stored ina history roll queue storage of the controller, and reprinting at leastpart of the ripped images saved in the roll file on a new roll of mediumhaving a same roll width as the arbitrary roll width according to asequence order and the arbitrary positions saved in the roll file, andduring reprinting, executing the corresponding events saved in the rollfile.

According to an embodiment the method comprises a step of determining afirst moment in time during printing the roll of recording medium, andestablishing the at least part of the ripped images intended to bereprinted to be ripped images which have been printed on the roll ofrecording medium from the first moment in time.

According to an embodiment the method comprises a step of determining asecond moment in time during printing the roll of recording medium, andestablishing the at least part of the ripped images intended to bereprinted to be ripped images which have been printed on the roll ofrecording medium until the second moment in time.

According to an embodiment the event image object represents one out ofan unprinted space event, an inspection moment, a print pause, a rollchange, a maintenance action and a finishing action. Being able to planan unprinted space event, an inspection moment, a print pause, a rollchange, a maintenance action and/or a finishing action ample beforeprinting, the operator is empowered to plan these events whenever heprefers to execute the events. The events represented by the event imageobjects may be manually or automatic events.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of the rollmanaging system displaying and maintaining a dynamic roll preview areacomprising a digital representation of the roll of recording medium,digital representations of the planned ripped images to be printed onthe roll of recording medium, digital representations of the rippedimages currently being printed on the roll of recording medium, anddigital representations of each event image object placed in the imagequeue area, and the roll managing system continuously synchronizing thedynamic roll preview area with the image queue area.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of manuallyscrolling through the digital representations of the ripped images ofthe dynamic roll preview area or the image queue area, andsimultaneously automatically scrolling through the corresponding digitalrepresentations of the ripped images in the image queue area or thedynamic roll preview area respectively, while both scrolling steps areused to determine the first moment in time.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of manuallyscrolling through the digital representations of the ripped images ofthe dynamic roll preview area or the image queue area, andsimultaneously automatically scrolling through the corresponding digitalrepresentations of the ripped images in the image queue area or thedynamic roll preview area respectively, while both scrolling steps areused to determine the second moment in time.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of manuallyselecting a digital representation of a ripped image in the dynamic rollpreview area or the image queue area, and simultaneously automaticallyselecting a corresponding digital representation of the ripped image inthe image queue area or the dynamic roll preview area respectively,while both selecting steps are used to determine the first moment intime.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of manuallyselecting a digital representation of a ripped image in the dynamic rollpreview area or the image queue area, and simultaneously automaticallyselecting a corresponding digital representation of the ripped image inthe image queue area or the dynamic roll preview area respectively,while both selecting steps are used to determine the second moment intime.

According to an embodiment the method comprises the step of excluding atleast one event saved in the roll file from execution during reprintingof the at least part of the ripped images saved in the roll file.

The invention also relates to a roll-fed printing apparatus for printingimages on a roll of recording medium having an arbitrary roll width, theroll-fed apparatus comprising a print engine and a controller comprisinga roll managing system for managing the printing of ripped images on theroll of recording medium, the controller being configured to control aprint queue comprising the ripped images to be printed, wherein thecontroller is configured to receive a plurality of ripped images from araster image processor into memory of the roll managing system, the rollmanaging system is configured to establish for each ripped image anarbitrary position in an X direction and a Y direction of the plane ofthe roll of recording medium at which arbitrary position the rippedimage is intended to be printed, the controller is configured to createsubsequent image swathes for printing the ripped images according to theestablished arbitrary positions of the ripped images, the print engineis configured to subsequently print the created subsequent imageswathes, and the roll managing system is configured to display andmaintain an image queue area comprising the planned ripped images to beprinted on the at least one recording medium and the ripped imagescurrently being printed on the roll of recording medium, and to providea plurality of event image objects which are placeable in the imagequeue area and the image queue area is configured to receive an eventimage object of the plurality of event image objects between the plannedripped images to be printed on the roll of recording medium in the imagequeue area, the controller is configured to set for an event imageobject of the plurality at least one printing and/or finishing commandto be executed by the printing apparatus in accordance with a timingsequence of printing of the print jobs displayed in the image queuearea, wherein the controller comprises a history roll queue storagebeing configured to save a part of the image queue, the part comprisingthe ripped images at the established arbitrary positions in an Xdirection and a Y direction on the roll of recording medium and theevents according to plurality of event image objects placed in the imagequeue into a roll file in order to facilitate a reprinting of at leastpart of the ripped images saved in the roll file on a new roll of mediumhaving a same roll width as the arbitrary roll width according to asequence order and the arbitrary positions saved in the roll file, and,during reprinting, an execution of the corresponding events saved in theroll file.

The invention also relates to a non-transitory software mediumcomprising executable code configured to, when executed, perform themethod according to the invention.

The term “printing” is used herein as a general term for any marking ofa recording medium with any marking material. As a synonym, the term“image forming” may be used. Recording mediums may comprise paper,flexible plastic, metal foils, textiles and so on. Marking materials maycomprise ink, metal, varnish, toner and so on. “Marking” may be anyprocess by which the marking material is applied to the recordingmedium.

The term “successfully printed” may be synonymous with “completelyprinted”. The term may, however, comprise additional criteria, forexample the criterion that the ripped image has been formed on therecording medium exactly as was intended by the data characterizing saidprint job, e.g. all pixels of the bitmap characterizing that rippedimage are exactly reproduced on the recording medium. Another possiblecriterion for a “successfully printed” ripped image may be that theripped image has been printed exactly at the position of the recordingmedium intended for it. Depending on the used recording medium and theused marking material, an additional criterion for a “successfullyprinted” ripped image may be that the ripped image has been printed witha certain thickness on the recording medium, e.g. when an integratedcircuit is printed in metal.

Additional advantages, and the solution of additional problems, will beapparent from the subject-matter of the dependent claims as well as fromthe description and the drawings.

The term “marking unit” refers to a structure, a device, or a system,within the roll-fed printing apparatus that performs the actualprinting, i.e. the marking of the recording medium with the markingmaterial. For example, the marking unit of an inkjet printing apparatusis an inkjet print head.

“Downstream” herein, and in the following, is applicable to positionsthat are reached later by the recording medium moving along the intendedpath starting from an input roll of the roll-fed printing apparatus thanpositions “upstream”. For example, the marking unit (e.g. an inkjetprint head of an inkjet printing apparatus) is arranged downstream ofthe input roll.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given herein-below and the accompanying schematicdrawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are notlimitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIGS. 1-2 schematically show roll-fed printing apparatuses according toembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 schematically shows a view of a recording medium for illustratingthe function of the roll-fed printing apparatus of FIG. 1 as well as themethod of FIG. 5 according to the invention;

FIGS. 4-7 schematically show views of user interface windows of a rollplanning system according to the invention;

FIGS. 8-10 show a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method accordingto an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 schematically shows a non-transitory software medium accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals have beenused to identify the same or similar elements throughout the severalviews, and in some instances throughout the several embodiments.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a roll-fed printing apparatus 100 accordingto an embodiment. For the following detailed description, reference willalso be made to depictions and reference signs in following FIGS. 2-4which may better illustrate the function of the roll-fed printingapparatus 100 in general and a controller 10 comprising a roll managingsystem 12 in particular. The controller 10 also comprises a history rollqueue storage 16 according to the invention for storing a part of theimage queue. The part comprises a roll file containing the ripped imagesat the established arbitrary positions in an X direction and a Ydirection on the roll of medium and the events according to theplurality of event image objects placed in the image queue. The historyroll queue storage 16 is read out later for reprinting at least part ofthe ripped images saved in the roll file on a new roll of medium havinga same roll width as the arbitrary roll width according to a sequenceorder and the arbitrary positions saved in the roll file. Duringreprinting the corresponding events saved in the roll file are executed.

In the roll-fed printing apparatus 100, recording medium 1 is initiallywound up on an input roll 3 and is there-from guided, by and by, along apath 5 of the roll-fed printing apparatus 100. If the roll-fed printingapparatus 100 is, specifically, a roll-to-roll inkjet printingapparatus, then the roll-to-roll inkjet printing apparatus mayadditionally comprise an output roll 7 onto which the recording medium 1is wound, by and by, after it has been marked according to a print job.The path 5 comprises actors and other components to move, and guide, therecording medium 1 along.

The roll-fed printing apparatus 100 comprises a print engine 20configured to mark the recording medium 1, using a marking material, inaccordance with specifications of the image to be printed. A largenumber of individual ripped images to be printed may be submitted to theroll-fed printing apparatus 100.

For creating the printed roll, at least one gathering criterion isapplied. The at least one gathering criterion may comprise a criterionthat the individual ripped images shall be created such that as many ofthe individual ripped images are able to be printed before a specificresource of, or available to, the roll-fed printing apparatus 100 isdepleted to a certain amount or percentage. The percentage may, forexample, be zero percent.

The percentage may alternatively be set to a larger percentage thanzero, for example, 5% (five percent). In that way, possible errors inthe determination, or prediction, of the remaining amount of thatresource are taken into account and it is made sure that the lastindividual ripped images printed are actually printed while the specificresource is still undepleted. For example, it may be undesirable toprint until ink is depleted down to zero percent as, at very low inklevels, the printing results and/or the reliability of an ink levelestimation may vary.

In the case that more than one gathering criteria are applied, thepercentages for all of the criteria may be equal, e.g. zero. There mayalso be a different percentage set for each, or for a number of, theapplied gathering criteria.

The specific resource may be at least one of time, marking material, andthe recording medium 1. For roll-fed or roll-to-roll inkjet printingapparatus, for example, the specific resource may be at least one oftime, ink, and remaining recording medium upstream of a print head ofthe inkjet printing apparatus.

A printer controller 10 of the roll-fed printing apparatus 100 isconfigured to control the roll-fed printing apparatus 100, as will bedescribed in more detail in the following.

The controller 10 comprises the roll managing system 12 for managing theprinting of ripped images on the recording medium 1.

The controller 10 is able to receive a plurality of ripped images froman external and independent raster image processor 50 via a digitalnetwork connection 40 in memory 14 of the roll managing system 12irrespectively of the presence of the appropriate recording medium inthe roll-fed printing apparatus 100. An appropriate recording medium isfor example the recording medium specified for the images to be printed.The receipt of the plurality of ripped images may also be irrespectivelyof the readiness of the printer, i.e. the printer may still be printingother images.

For each ripped image the roll managing system 12 is configured toestablish an arbitrary position in an X direction and a Y direction inthe plane of the recording medium 1 at which arbitrary position theripped image is intended to be printed,

The controller 10 is configured to create subsequent image swathes forprinting the ripped images according to the established arbitrarypositions of the ripped images. The print engine 20 subsequently printsthe created subsequent image swathes.

The roll managing system 12 monitors a first actual status of printingof the created subsequent image swathes, a second actual status of atiming of the ripped images to be printed and a third actual status ofthe recording medium 1.

The roll managing system 12 is configured to display and keepingup-to-date a dynamic roll preview area representing the at least onerecording medium, the planned ripped images to be printed on the atleast one recording medium, the ripped images currently being printed onthe at least one recording medium and image items representing themonitored first, second and third actual statuses. The dynamic rollpreview area will be further elucidated hereinafter in FIG. 4.

According to another embodiment the raster image processor 50 receivesfrom the roll-fed printing apparatus 100 the first actual status ofprinting of created subsequent image swathes, the second actual statusof a timing of the ripped images to be printed and the third actualstatus of the at least one recording medium loaded in the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100. These three actual statuses are used by theraster image processor 50 to keep up-to-date a dynamic roll preview areato be displayed on a user interface (not shown) connected to the rasterimage processor 50 based on the first actual status, the second actualstatus and the third actual status. Such a user interface may contain awindow like the window shown in FIG. 4. The user interface may be acloud user interface which is connected via a network to the rasterimage processor 50 and the roll-fed printing apparatus 100. According toa further embodiment the roll managing system 12 is situated in theraster image processor instead of in the roll-fed printing apparatus100.

The controller 10 may further be configured to control a component ofthe printing apparatus 100 arranged downstream of the print engine 20 ofthe printing apparatus 100.

The controlled component may, e.g., be a cutting unit, i.e. a cutter,being configured to cut the recording medium 1 according to given cutpaths or commands entered by the operator or indicated in a userinterface window of the roll managing system 12. That controlledcomponent may e.g. also be a laminating unit 30 for laminating therecording medium 1.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a roll-fed printing apparatus 200according to the invention. The roll-fed printing apparatus 200comprises a feeder for feeding both a first recording medium 1 and asecond recording medium 11 from a first input roll 3 and a second inputroll 31 respectively simultaneously to the print engine 20.

In the roll-fed printing apparatus 100, the first recording medium 1 andthe second recording medium 11 are initially wound up on the first inputroll 3 and the second input roll 31 respectively, and are there-fromguided, by and by, along a first path 5 and a second path 51 of theroll-fed printing apparatus 200 respectively.

If the roll-fed printing apparatus 200 is, specifically, a roll-to-rollinkjet printing apparatus, then the roll-to-roll inkjet printingapparatus may additionally comprise a first output roll 7 onto which therecording medium 1 is wound, by and by, after it has been markedaccording to a ripped image. The roll-to-roll inkjet printing apparatusmay additionally comprise a second output roll 71 onto which therecording medium 11 is wound, by and by, after it has been markedaccording to a ripped image.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a view of a recording medium 1 forillustrating the function of the roll-fed printing apparatus of FIG. 1according to the invention as well as for illustrating the method ofFIGS. 5-6 according to the invention.

In FIG. 3, a vertical line symbolizes a current position CP of the printhead within the individual ripped images. The individual ripped imagesmay be positioned at arbitrary positions in a direction X and in adirection Y on the recording medium 1. Regarding the followingdiscussion, it is assumed that the current position CP corresponds to alocation along the length of the recording medium 1 at which the printengine 20 is arranged to mark the recording medium 1 currently.Furthermore the print engine 20 may be a print head moving along thebreadth B of the recording medium 1 in reciprocation along a scanningdirection. By moving in reciprocation marking material are deposited onthe recording medium 1 in swathes.

All parts of the individual ripped images that are positioned to theleft (i.e. downstream) of the current position CP (these parts are shownas hatched in FIG. 3) have been printed; all parts of the individualripped images that are positioned to the right (i.e. upstream) of thecurrent position CP (these parts are shown as un-hatched rectangles inFIG. 3) have not yet been printed.

The terms “downstream” and “upstream” are used here with respect to therepresentation of the six images on the dynamic roll preview area 430 inFIG. 4 (instead of with respect to the recording medium 1) in the sensethat an upstream direction can be designated for the representations ofthe six images as the direction that would be upstream for the recordingmedium 1, and equally for the downstream direction.

It is evident from FIG. 3 that the individual ripped image 32 has beencompletely printed. The individual ripped images 34-36 have not yet beenprinted even partially. The individual ripped image 33 is intersected bythe current position CP such that each consists of a portion that hasalready been printed, and a portion that has not yet been printed.Accordingly, the individual ripped image 33 has not been printedcompletely (only partially).

According to the invention examples of events are presented in therecording medium 1 such as white spaces ws1, ws2, ws3, a pause p1, aninspection moment im, and a cut line cl.

A white space ws1, ws2, ws3 may be determined by an amount x ofmillimeters that the recording medium 1 is moved relative to the printmechanism without any printing over x millimeters of the recordingmedium 1. The white space introduces the possibility for the operator topause the printing process for that moment.

The inspection moment im relates to an alert that will be given to theoperator at a certain moment in time to come back to the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100 to inspect for instance print quality.

A pause action is a well-known action as an immediate pause which ispresented by means of the local user interface of the roll-fed printingapparatus. The pause p1 according to the invention is different, sincethe operator is now allowed to plan the pause beforehand in the imagequeue area or the dynamic roll preview area.

Nevertheless a pause may also be defined without a duration. In thatcase, printing is resumed on manual indication of the operator.

A cut action is also a well-known action as an immediate cut actionwhich is presented by means of the local user interface of the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100. The cut action cl according to the invention isdifferent, since the operator is now allowed to plan the cut actionbeforehand in the image queue area or the dynamic roll preview area.

In FIG. 3 the additional white space action ws1 has already beenperformed. The white space ws1 is a non-printing job during execution ofwhich the recording medium 1 has been moved relative to the printmechanism without any printing over an area which corresponds to thespecified length and width B. The white space actions ws2, ws3 stillhave to be processed.

In FIG. 3 the pause moment p1, the inspection moment im, and the cutline cl are presented by vertical lines each having another dashing inorder to distinguish these planned events from each other.

In FIG. 3 a cutting device, i.e. a cutter, is represented downstream ofthe recording medium 1 by a dashed rectangle 38.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a user interface window 400 controlled by theroll managing system 12. The user interface window 400 comprises animage queue area 420, a dynamic roll preview area 430, a specificationarea 440 and a navigation area 460.

The specification area 440 is configured to list event image objectswhich can be planned as operator actions or roll-fed printing apparatusactions in the image queue area 420 and/or the dynamic roll preview area430. The event image objects represent a white space action (“Space”),an inspection moment (“Inspect”), a pause (“Pause”), a cut (“Cut”), aroll change (“Input”) and an ink fill moment (“Ink”). The event imageobjects may be dragged and dropped onto the image queue area 420 or thedynamic roll preview area 430.

The navigation area 460 comprises a link to the history roll queue(“History”) and a link to the system settings (“System”) of the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100.

According to the example the user interface window 400 comprises animage list area 410. Note that the image list area 410 is not necessarywhen the ripped images are received by the controller 10 andautomatically added to the image queue represented in the image queuearea 420. The image list area 410 comprises images 1-2 which may bedragged and dropped in the image queue area 420 or in the dynamic rollpreview area 430.

When an image is dropped in the image queue area 420, the dynamic rollpreview area 430 will be automatically updated by adding arepresentation of the image to the preview 432 of the roll in thedynamic roll preview area 430. When an image is dropped in the dynamicroll preview area 430, the image queue area 420 will be automaticallyupdated by adding a representation of the image to the image queue inthe image queue area 420. In other words the image queue area 420 andthe dynamic roll preview area 430 are continuously synchronized withrespect to updates of images.

When an event image object is dropped in the image queue area 420, thedynamic roll preview area 430 will be automatically updated by adding arepresentation of the event image object to the preview 432 of the rollin the dynamic roll preview area 430. When an event image object isdropped in the dynamic roll preview area 430, the image queue area 420will be automatically updated by adding a representation of the eventimage object to the image queue in the image queue area 420. In otherwords the image queue area 420 and the dynamic roll preview area 430 arecontinuously synchronized with respect to updates of event imageobjects.

In the example in FIG. 4 image2—which corresponds to the image 22 inFIG. 3—has already been printed and is not visible any more in the imagequeue area 420. Image2 is currently being printed for a second timeaccording to the specifications of the image2. The recording medium 1 onwhich image2 is currently being printed is indicated by a recordingmedium line 480 in the image queue area 420. The image recording mediumline 480 shows the type of recording medium, for example “200 g OutdoorBanner”, the width of the recording medium, for example 1.6 m., and theroll length currently planned to be printed plus the already printedroll length of the recording medium, for example 1.5 m. The currentlyplanned length or the currently remaining length may be at least part ofan indication for an actual status of the recording medium 1.

Image2—which corresponds to the images 22, 23, 25, 26 in FIG. 3—isrepresented in the image queue area 420 by means of image lines 485. Theimage lines 485 comprise an identification of the image, for example acorresponding thumbnail and a name “image2.jpg”, a time left to printthe complete image2, for example 7 minutes, a length piece of therecording medium which is occupied by the image2 when printed, forexample 1.5 m., and an indication of the number of copies of the image2to be printed, for example 2 copies.

The image queue area 420 also comprises the event image objects forexample as icons 482 corresponding to the event image object icons shownin the specification area 440 just before the corresponding line in theimage queue area 420. Such a line may comprise an indication for arequired action like a cutting action, a first time indication when theaction has to be executed, for example 15 h 46 m, or a second timeindication how long the action will last. It is noted that after thecutting action at 15 h 46 the same roll will be input in the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100 as indicated by a recording medium lineindicating a recording medium type of “200 g Outdoor Banner”.

The image queue area 420 comprises white space event lines correspondingto the white spaces ws2, ws3 in the dynamic roll preview area 430. Alsoa width and a length of the white space events are specified in thewhite space event lines in image queue area 420.

The dynamic roll preview area 430 comprises a representation 432 of atleast part of the recording medium 1 to be printed upon.

The current position of the print head is reflected in the dynamicpreview area 430 by an unbroken line CP. The unbroken line CPcorresponds to the current position CP of the print head shown in FIG.3. The unbroken line CP represents an actual status of printing of thecreated subsequent image swathes and an actual status of the imageevents ws1, ws2, ws3, p1, im, cl according to the invention. The imageevents ws1, ws2, ws3, p1, im, cl in FIG. 4 have different dashingpatterns in order to distinguish the image events from each other.

The cutting position corresponding to the cutting action planned at 15 h46 m is represented in the dynamic preview area 430 by a dashed line cl.The dashed line cl intersects the white space job representation ws3 inthe dynamic preview area 430 as to indicate that the cutting action willtake place in the area of the recording medium indicated by theposition, the width and the length of the white space job ws3 in thedynamic preview area 430.

According to another embodiment the cutting action cl is preceded by awhite space job, for example numbered as ws3′ (not shown) and succeededby another white space job, for example numbered as ws3″ (not shown).The length and the width of the white space job ws3′ may be equal to thelength and the width of the other white space job ws3″ respectively. Thesum of the length of the white space job ws3′ and the length of theother white space job ws3″ may be equal to the length of the white spacejob ws3 shown in FIG. 4.

The dynamic roll preview area 430 displays the positions in an Xdirection and a Y direction on the roll at which the images are going tobe printed. When an operator wants to change a position of an image tobe printed on the recording medium 1, the representation of the image inthe dynamic roll preview area 430 may be moved to another (X,Y) positionin the dynamic roll preview area 430. The image may be representing aripped image or an event image object according to the invention. Aposition of each representation of an image in the dynamic roll previewarea 430 is saved to memory 14 in the roll managing system 12 and usedby the controller 10 for creation of appropriate swath images derivedfrom the ripped images which is going to be printed by the print engine20.

When a move of an image in the dynamic roll preview area 430 causesanother order of printing the images on the recording medium, the orderof the images in the image queue area 420 is automatically adapted.

A new image event may be introduced in the image queue area 420 bydragging an event image object, i.e. an icon in the specification area440, for example a scissor symbol for a cut, to an appropriate positionin the image queue area 420 or to an appropriate position in the dynamicroll preview area 430. In the specification area 440 in FIG. 4 six eventimage objects are shown, but other kinds of image events may beenvisioned and incorporated in the user interface window 400.

A new recording medium line, like a line referenced by reference number480, may be introduced in the image queue area 420 by dragging arecording medium symbol (“input”) in the specification area 440 to anappropriate position in the image queue area 420 or to an appropriateposition in the dynamic roll preview area 430. If a width of the newrecording medium is deviating from a recording medium are presented inthe dynamic roll preview area 430, the width of the new recording mediumin the dynamic roll preview area will be automatically adapted upondropping the recording medium symbol in the image queue area 420 or thedynamic roll preview area 430.

A new white space job line may be manually or automatically introducedin the image queue area 420 by dragging a white space event object fromthe specification area 440 to the image queue area 420. In the samemanner, an inspection job line, a pause line, a cut line, an ink line ora system line may be introduced in the image queue area 420. A newrepresentation of such a new image event is then automatically added atan appropriate position to the dynamic roll preview area 430.

Other kind of event image objects may be manually introduced in theimage queue area 420 by dragging the event image object from thespecification area 440 to the image queue area 420. Other kind of eventimage objects may also be automatically introduced in the image queuearea 420 by means of a control command of controller 10 or the rollmanaging system 12 of the roll-fed printing apparatus 100, 200.

A recording medium line according to the invention—like a linereferenced by reference number 480—is editable in the image queue area420 for editing the medium type, the width and the (remaining) length ofthe recording medium to be represented by the recording medium line.

By indicating a time of an image event in an event image object line inthe image queue area 420, the operator can plan and prepare the imageevent, and he can attend the roll-fed printing apparatus 100 at theindicated time in order to establish a correct image event.

FIGS. 3-4 show only one recording medium 1 at a time, but the method mayalso be applied to the roll-fed printing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2which is a multiple roll printer which is able to print simultaneouslyon multiple rolls positioned on one common axis or on multiple axes inline with each other. In the latter case the roll preview area comprisesa digital visual representation of each roll and a digitalrepresentation of a ripped image may be positioned on either roll. Theimage events may be directed to a total width of a sum of the widths ofthe multiple rolls and a length which is the same for all multiplerolls. However, an image event may also be introduced for a single rollof the multiple rolls, for example if a white space is only needed forthe single roll. For example, a white space event has to be added to oneof the multiple rolls in order to add a subsequent common pauseextending over both rolls.

A view on the history roll queue according to the invention isintroduced in a user interface window 500 shown in FIG. 5. As soon as anentire output roll has been printed, the images and image eventscorresponding to the entire output roll are saved in the history rollqueue storage 16. By selecting the history roll queue symbol (“History”)in the navigation area 460, the image queue area 420 shown in FIG. 4 isreplaced by a history roll queue area 520 as shown in FIG. 5. Thehistory roll queue area 520 shows an overview of completely printedoutput rolls 580 in the past. Each completely printed output roll 580 isprovided with a history roll icon 582 which deviates from the input rollicon 482 shown in FIG. 4.

Each completely printed output roll 580 may be selected as indicated bythe grayed out first row 580 in the history roll queue area 520 in FIG.5. In the user interface window 500 also a reprint button 450(“REPRINT”) is introduced. By activating the reprint button 450 aselected output roll 580 is scheduled in the image queue area 420 inFIG. 4 to be reprinted with all its corresponding images and imageevents. A reprint of a roll may also be otherwise activated than byactivating the reprint button 450, for example by a right-mouse click onthe appropriate history roll icon 582 or the appropriate printed outroll indication 580 in the history roll queue area 520.

By opening the selected output roll 580 in FIG. 5, for example by doubleclicking on the selected output roll 580, the corresponding images andimage events are shown in the history roll queue area 520 as shown in auser interface window 600 in FIG. 6. By default all images and imageevents which has been executed during the first time printing of theoutput roll 580, are selected as shown by the grayed out rows in thehistory roll queue area 520 in FIG. 6. The dynamic preview area 430shows the roll 1 corresponding to the selected rows in the history rollqueue area 520.

In FIG. 6 rows from the grayed out rows in FIG. 6 may be deselected. Bydoing so, at least part of the ripped images intended to be reprinted,i.e. the ripped images which are selected, are reprinted. For example,when a print quality error has appeared in the first three images on thecompletely printed output roll 580, the operator may select only thefirst three images to be reprinted in the history roll queue area 520.Such a selection is shown in a user interface window 700 shown in FIG.7. The roll 1 in the dynamic preview area 430 is changed accordingly.According to another embodiment the dynamic preview area 430 shows theentire roll 1 but indicates the selection in the dynamic preview area430 by a color change, by dashing, or by another visually distinctivemanner.

By selecting and/or deselecting rows in the history roll queue area 520a first moment in time during printing the output roll 580 is determinedby the first selected row. An image originally printed after this firstmoment in time is reprinted if the row corresponding to the image isselected. Also, by selecting and/or deselecting rows in the history rollqueue area 520 a second moment in time during printing the output roll580 is determined by the last selected row. An image originally printedbefore this second moment in time is reprinted if the row correspondingto the image is selected. Gaps in the selected rows may be envisioned,i.e. deselected rows in-between the first moment in time and the secondmoment in time are not executed. The reprint of the selected imagestakes place and also the selected events are carried out accordingly.

By deselecting an event in the history roll queue area 520, the operatormay exclude the event saved in the roll file from execution duringreprinting of the selected images.

FIGS. 8-9 show a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method accordingto the invention.

The method is suitable for controlling a roll-fed printing apparatusaccording to the invention.

The method starts in a starting point A and leads to a first step S1 anda second step S2. The first step S1 in combination with a third step S3,and the second step S2 may be executed in parallel or consecutively.

In the first step S1 the controller receives a plurality of rippedimages from a raster image processor into memory of the roll managingsystem. The received ripped images are added to the print queue area 420in FIG. 4. The roll managing system according to the invention displaysand maintains the image queue area 420. The image queue area 420comprises representations of the planned ripped images to be printed atan arbitrary position in an X direction and a Y direction on the atleast one recording medium and representations of the ripped imagescurrently being printed on the at least one recording medium.

In a second step S2 event image objects are added to the image queuearea 420 in FIG. 4.

Each of the event image objects shown in the specification area 440 inFIG. 4 is manually or automatically placeable in the image queue area420. The image queue area 420 is configured to receive an event imageobject of the plurality of event image objects between therepresentations of the planned ripped images to be printed on the leastone recording medium in the image queue area. An event image object mayrepresent an event which changes a lay-out of the printed ripped images.

In the third step digital representations of the ripped images are addedto the image queue area 420 in FIG. 4.

In a fourth step S4 the dynamic roll preview area 430 is synchronizedwith the image queue area 420. The synchronization of these two areas420, 430 may also take place during steps S1, S2, S3.

In a fifth step S5 the image swathes to be printed are created. For eachripped image the roll managing system establishes an arbitrary positionin an X direction and a Y direction in the plane of the at least onerecording medium at which arbitrary position the ripped image isintended to be printed. The arbitrary position may be determined by theorder of the ripped images in the print queue, and may also beinfluenced by the operator dragging a representation of the ripped imagein the dynamic roll preview area 430 in FIG. 4. In a third step S3 thecontroller creates subsequent image swathes for printing the rippedimages according to the established arbitrary positions of the rippedimages. The controller creates subsequent image swathes for printing theripped images according to the established arbitrary positions of theripped images.

A sixth step S6 and a seventh step S7 are executed in parallel accordingto a sequence order of the ripped images and the event image objects inthe image queue area 420.

In the sixth step S6 the print engine subsequently prints the createdsubsequent image swathes.

In the seventh step S7 the controller executes the event related to theevent image objects added to the image queue area 420 in the second stepS2. The controller sets for an event image object of the plurality ofthe event image objects at least one printing and/or finishing commandto be executed by the printing apparatus in accordance with a timingsequence of printing of the ripped images displayed in the image queuearea 420.

The method proceeds to an intermediate point B shown in FIG. 8 and inFIG. 9.

The method proceeds to an eighth step S8.

In the eighth step S8 a part of the image queue, the part comprising theripped images at the established arbitrary positions in an X directionand a Y direction on the roll of medium and the events according toplurality of event image objects placed in the image queue are savedinto a roll file to be stored in the history roll queue storage 16 ofthe controller.

FIG. 10 shows that the method includes the following further stepsstarting from a second starting point D.

The second starting point D leads to a ninth step S9.

In the ninth step S9 it is checked if a reprint request for a printedoutput roll has been received by the controller. Such a reprint requestfor the printed output roll may be invoked by selecting a completelyprinted output roll from the history roll queue area 520 in FIG. 5 andafterwards activating the “REPRINT” button 450 shown in FIG. 5. Before,activating the “REPRINT” button 450 ripped images and events which havebeen processed during the first time printing of the output roll may beselected and/or deselected as shown in FIG. 6-7.

If a reprint request is received, the method proceeds to a tenth stepS10. If not, the method ends in an endpoint E.

In the tenth step S10 at least part of the ripped images and eventssaved in the roll file, i.e. ripped images and events selected in thehistory roll queue area 520 are retrieved from the history roll queuestorage 16.

In an eleventh step S11 the at least part of the ripped images isreprinted. Parallel to the eleventh step S11, in a twelfth step S12,according to the sequence order in the history roll queue area 520 theselected events are processed.

The method ends in an endpoint E.

FIG. 11 schematically shows a non-transitory software medium 90according to the invention. The software medium 90 comprises executablecode 92 configured to, when executed, perform the method of the firstaspect, e.g. as described with respect to either the roll-fed printingapparatus 100, 200 or the method of controlling the roll-fed printingapparatus 100, 200 according to any or all of the FIGS. 1 to 10 and/oraccording to any of the variants and modifications of the roll-fedprinting apparatus 100, 200 and/or of the method described here-above.

The software medium may, specifically, be formed as a CD or a CD-ROM, aDVD or a DVD-ROM, a BluRay disc or a BluRay-ROM disc, a magnetic harddrive, a solid state disk (SSD) hard drive, a USB memory device and soon.

While detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merelyexemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed hereinare not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for theclaims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the artto variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriatelydetailed structure. In particular, features presented and described inseparate dependent claims may be applied in combination and anyadvantageous combination of such claims are herewith disclosed.

Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to belimiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of theinvention. The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one ormore than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two ormore than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at leasta second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, aredefined as comprising (i.e., open language).

It will be evident that the described embodiments may be varied in manyways. All such modifications as would be evident to one skilled in theart starting from what is explicitly described are intended to beincluded.

1. A method for controlling a roll-fed printing apparatus for printingimages on a roll of recording medium having an arbitrary roll width, theroll-fed apparatus comprising a print engine, a controller comprising aroll managing system for managing the printing of ripped images on theroll of recording medium, the method comprising the steps of a) thecontroller receiving a plurality of ripped images from a raster imageprocessor into memory of the roll managing system, b) for each rippedimage the roll managing system establishing an arbitrary position in anX direction and a Y direction of the plane of the recording medium ofthe roll at which arbitrary position the ripped image is intended to beprinted, c) the controller creating subsequent image swathes forprinting the ripped images according to the established arbitrarypositions of the ripped images, d) the roll managing system displayingand maintaining an image queue area comprising representations of theplanned ripped images to be printed on the roll of recording medium andrepresentations of the ripped images currently being printed on the rollof recording medium, e) the roll managing system providing a pluralityof event image objects which are placeable in the image queue area andthe image queue area is configured to receive an event image object ofthe plurality of event image objects between the representations of theplanned ripped images to be printed on the roll of recording medium inthe image queue area, and f) the controller setting for an event imageobject of the plurality at least one printing and/or finishing commandto be executed by the printing apparatus in accordance with a timingsequence of printing of the ripped images displayed in the image queuearea, g) the print engine subsequently printing the created subsequentimage swathes and executing the events according to the set at least oneprinting and/or finishing command, wherein the method comprises thesteps of h) saving a part of the image queue, the part comprising theripped images at the established arbitrary positions in an X directionand a Y direction on the roll of medium and the events according toplurality of event image objects placed in the image queue into a rollfile to be stored in a history roll queue storage of the controller, andi) reprinting at least part of the ripped images saved in the roll fileon a new roll of medium having a same roll width as the arbitrary rollwidth according to a sequence order and the arbitrary positions saved inthe roll file, and j) during reprinting, executing the correspondingevents saved in the roll file.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein themethod comprises a step of determining a first moment in time duringprinting the roll of recording medium, and establishing the at leastpart of the ripped images intended to be reprinted to be ripped imageswhich have been printed on the roll of recording medium from the firstmoment in time.
 3. The method according claim 1, wherein the methodcomprises a step of determining a second moment in time during printingthe roll of recording medium, and establishing the at least part of theripped images intended to be reprinted to be ripped images which havebeen printed on the roll of recording medium until the second moment intime.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the event image objectrepresents one out of an unprinted space event, an inspection moment, aprint pause, a roll change, a maintenance action and a finishing action.5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises thesteps of the roll managing system displaying and maintaining a dynamicroll preview area comprising a digital representation of the roll ofrecording medium, digital representations of the planned ripped imagesto be printed on the roll of recording medium, digital representationsof the ripped images currently being printed on the roll of recordingmedium, and digital representations of each event image object placed inthe image queue area, and the roll managing system continuouslysynchronizing the dynamic roll preview area with the image queue area.6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method comprises thesteps of manually scrolling through the digital representations of theripped images of the dynamic roll preview area or the image queue area,and simultaneously automatically scrolling through the correspondingdigital representations of the ripped images in the image queue area orthe dynamic roll preview area respectively, while both scrolling stepsare used to determine the first moment in time.
 7. The method accordingto claim 3, wherein the method comprises the steps of manually scrollingthrough the digital representations of the ripped images of the dynamicroll preview area or the image queue area, and simultaneouslyautomatically scrolling through the corresponding digitalrepresentations of the ripped images in the image queue area or thedynamic roll preview area respectively, while both scrolling steps areused to determine the second moment in time.
 8. The method according toclaim 6, wherein the method comprises the steps of manually selecting adigital representation of a ripped image in the dynamic roll previewarea or the image queue area, and simultaneously automatically selectinga corresponding digital representation of the ripped image in the imagequeue area or the dynamic roll preview area respectively, while bothselecting steps are used to determine the first moment in time.
 9. Themethod according to claim 7, wherein the method comprises the steps ofmanually selecting a digital representation of a ripped image in thedynamic roll preview area or the image queue area, and simultaneouslyautomatically selecting a corresponding digital representation of theripped image in the image queue area or the dynamic roll preview arearespectively, while both selecting steps are used to determine thesecond moment in time.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein themethod comprises the step of excluding at least one event saved in theroll file from execution during reprinting of the at least part of theripped images saved in the roll file.
 11. A roll-fed printing apparatusfor printing images on a roll of recording medium having an arbitraryroll width, the roll-fed apparatus comprising a print engine and acontroller comprising a roll managing system for managing the printingof ripped images on the roll of recording medium, the controller beingconfigured to control a print queue comprising the ripped images to beprinted, wherein the controller is configured to receive a plurality ofripped images from a raster image processor into memory of the rollmanaging system, the roll managing system is configured to establish foreach ripped image an arbitrary position in an X direction and a Ydirection of the plane of the roll of recording medium at whicharbitrary position the ripped image is intended to be printed, thecontroller is configured to create subsequent image swathes for printingthe ripped images according to the established arbitrary positions ofthe ripped images, the print engine is configured to subsequently printthe created subsequent image swathes, and the roll managing system isconfigured to display and maintain an image queue area comprising theplanned ripped images to be printed on the at least one recording mediumand the ripped images currently being printed on the roll of recordingmedium, and to provide a plurality of event image objects which areplaceable in the image queue area and the image queue area is configuredto receive an event image object of the plurality of event image objectsbetween the planned ripped images to be printed on the roll of recordingmedium in the image queue area, the controller is configured to set foran event image object of the plurality at least one printing and/orfinishing command to be executed by the printing apparatus in accordancewith a timing sequence of printing of the print jobs displayed in theimage queue area, wherein the controller comprises a history roll queuestorage being configured to save a part of the image queue, the partcomprising the ripped images at the established arbitrary positions inan X direction and a Y direction on the roll of recording medium and theevents according to plurality of event image objects placed in the imagequeue into a roll file in order to facilitate a reprinting of at leastpart of the ripped images saved in the roll file on a new roll of mediumhaving a same roll width as the arbitrary roll width according to asequence order and the arbitrary positions saved in the roll file, and,during reprinting, an execution of the corresponding events saved in theroll file.
 12. A non-transitory software medium comprising executablecode configured to, when executed, perform the method according to claim1.